The Lost
by TomoMee
Summary: Since long ago, the Kingdom of Karakura and the Kingdom of Seireitei had always been at war. During one of the outbreaks, a five-year-old Ichigo loses his mother as Karakura Kingdom falls under the tyrannical rule of Seireitei. Years later, Ichigo sets out on a journey to get back Karakura and to find his long lost father, learning something on the way. AU :)
1. Prologue

Prologue

_(Ichigo's POV)_

I dropped to the ground on my knees, bewildered. Screams, mourns, shrieks, wails and cries rang in the atmosphere. Horses galloped and the sound of spears cutting through human skin and swords clashing rang in my ears. House after house ignited and burned. The fire burning in the palace chambers and the whole town produced towers of black smoke that made the world dark and gloomy and blood that splattered all over the place made it look like a battlefield.

All of a sudden, I felt a horse step behind me. With terrified eyes, I turned around and saw a man in an armor, his spear pointing mercilessly at me. I couldn't speak, yet a tiny shriek escaped my mouth.

"ICHIGO!" I heard my Mom's voice. The soldier got distracted. Seeing Mom rush to my aid, I felt delighted. I tried to stand up and run to her comforting embrace, but froze as if a hand burst out from the ground and held me back as I saw the merciless spear of the soldier cut through Mom's belly. Blood splattered. I stared in horror as Mom helplessly fell down. Feeling myself free from whatever stopped my movements, I crawled to her side, buckets of tears pouring down my cheeks.

"Mom, Mom! MOM!" I heard myself screaming, as I shook her shoulder. She didn't reply. She didn't move. "Mommy! Don't leave! Don't leave me alone! MOM! DADDY! Mom is…", I cried, "MOM IS…!"

Suddenly a hand grabbed the collar of my T-shirt and lifted me up. Perplexed, I saw myself going farther and farther from my mom. I struggled to run but the soldier grabbed me and dragged me even farther. No, I wasn't going to leave Mom alone! Nevertheless, I had no power. All I could do was, scream and struggle.

Then I heard another voice. "Ichi Nii!" My sisters! I looked from left to right in horror and found myself staring at my two year old twin sisters, being dragged like me. Just then, I was shoved into a wooden carriage along with many other hostages. The door was being closed.

"Yuzu! Karin! MOM! DAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the characters. Just using them for this awesome plot generated by me and my cousin's twisted brains. Just half-kidding. :P Besides, I'm too lazy to put a disclaimer on every chapter. -.-'_


	2. 1 Mysterious Caller

**Chapter 1**

**Mysterious Caller**

"MOM!" Ichigo jumped up on the bed, soaked in sweat. Panting heavily, he looked down at his lap as his mind re-played the dream he just saw. Closing his eyes, Ichigo slowly inhaled and exhaled to calm his breathing.

* * *

_Ten years ago (Five year old Ichigo)_

_Ichigo was going home after playing with his peers just before dinner. His father had been out of town since the birth of his sisters when Ichigo was two, and had built a small house for them a bit far from the castle, fearing that they might be attacked while he was away. Thus, only Ichigo, his sisters and his mother lived there._

_"Mom, I'm home!"Ichigo beamed when he arrived home. Hearing no reply, he was about to go further into the house when he heard someone call him. Turning around, he saw his mother's best friend standing near the door, smiling. "Your mother asked me to bring you to the market where she and the twins are shopping." Ichigo nodded, smiling and went out the door, following her. The sun was almost below the horizon._

_It was almost dark and they were just about to reach the market when they heard a feminine scream. It came from the town center where his mother was supposed to be and Ichigo sped up. The lady called after him but Ichigo was almost out of sight. She was hindered from following the boy as she heard another, a more child-like scream. Turning around, she yelled, "Tatsuki!"_

* * *

The dream Ichigo had seen just now was the tragedy he had witnessed when he reached the town center. Ichigo let out a sigh. _I don't like clinging to the past… But it had been such a long time since I had last seen that dream that I have almost forgotten about that incident…_

The incident when Ichigo had lost his mother, the center of the world where he, his sisters and his father revolved around. It was the incident which separated him from his sisters and was separated from everything he held dear. It was the incident which sent him to this place full of strangers. One might think that being the personal servant of the Great King Ginrei would be the happiest and most honourable thing possible, but to tell the truth, Ichigo was not happy.

_Why did the Seireitei Kingdom raid Karakura?_ _Why didn't Dad come to our rescue?_ _Where is that stupid Dad?_ _Why are Karakura and Seireitei enemies in the first place? Why's King Ginrei so fearsome to the people when he seems like the kindest and the most respectable person to me?_ Ichigo thought silently. There were so many questions, too few clues and no answers at all.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't break off from his reverie until he heard a knock on his door. Ichigo blinked, scratched his head, let out a slow sigh, glanced at the clock and the next moment-

"Half past eight?! Damn those thoughts! Now I'm gonna be late!" He cursed as he rushed to the bathroom.

He took a quick and a cool bath and hurriedly got dressed in his favourite outfit which he wore especially for work. It was a white shirt with sky blue buttons and a ribbon of the same colour sewed along its edge. He adjusted the blue tie with white stripes and took a last look at his reflection in the mirror.

Despite how lonely and troubled he was inside, Ichigo was a fine man, minus a scary scowl that he rarely removed. Tall and lean, Ichigo had orange locks that fell on his amber eyes and tan skin. Plus, he was muscular.

Looking at the clock again, Ichigo let out a small smile. He still had fifteen minutes before attending the throne room. He felt a bit dizzy, maybe due to the overthinking a while ago, but shook his head a bit and he felt the dizziness fading away.

As soon as he opened the door, Ichigo heard a cheerful greeting. "Good morning Ichigo!" He glanced down and saw the raven haired princess's violet eyes smiling at him. Her short hair was tied into a ponytail with a feathery clip and she was wearing a blue kimono. Ichigo guessed that she must've got it for her birthday a few weeks ago.

"Good morning," Ichigo stepped out and closed the door behind him and walked away, completely ignoring the tiny girl. Wait; _tiny_?

The _tiny_ girl somehow understood the insult. She reached out and grabbed the collar of Ichigo's shirt, startling him for a while. "Oi Ruki-"

He couldn't finish because the next moment, he was kneeling down and clutching his head, which now had a comical bump on it. "Oww! What the heck was that for, Rukia!?"

Said princess crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, you insulted my height after all!"

"It's not my fault you're so short!" Rukia stomped on his feet that made Ichigo jump backwards, grabbing his now swollen toe.

"Serioulsy, Rukia, you will pay for this!"

Rukia just shrugged, smirking at the victory.

"Why you midget-" he tried to stand up.

"Oi Ichigo! I can't believe you're having trouble winning against a little girl!" Their best friend Renji said, waving at them from a distance. He was wearing a black shirt and trousers and a tie with a Captain Seaweed print on it, quite unexpected and expected from the personal servant of Rukia's brother, Byakuya.

"Well, I'm still better than you, pineapple! I see that you got your tattoos newly patterned today, Renji! Where'd you go to, the paint shop?" Ichigo mocked, getting on his feet.

"Why you carrot-top-" Renji clenched his fists.

"Aren't you a strawberry too, Ichigo?" Rukia muttered, pretending to think very deeply.

"For the last time, Rukia, my name does NOT mean-"

"Ichigo," Rukia began, seriousness filling her voice, but then smirked, "you're late for work."

"Wha?" Ichigo glanced at his wristwatch as he exclaimed "Shit!" He waved at his two best friends, and sped off to the throne room. Rukia and Renji waved back giggling. "See ya later, Ichigo!"

"Well, I'll be off too, Rukia!" Renji said.

"Take care!" Rukia waved to her (idiot) best friends as she proceeded on her way.

* * *

Ichigo arrived with only a minute to spare, totally out of breath. He felt himself falling to the side, but supported himself on the wall next to him; startling the guards a little as Ichigo inwardly questioned at the sudden dizziness he was feeling. Rubbing his forehead and composing himself, he turned the knob and entered the magnificent throne room, the usual scowl returning to his face.

Ginrei Kuchiki sat at the far end, on his golden throne as the ministers and soldiers lined along the golden pillars, ready for the day's big announcement. There were a few commoners on the right side, waiting for their complaints and problems to be heard of and solved. On the left side, there were priests and other notable heads of the Kingdom. _Something important must be happening today._ Ichigo thought.

Ichigo stood a few feet away from the staircase which Ginrei's throne stood and bowed down. Something somewhere in his head was telling him that he was going to be punished big time for being late.

However, King Ginrei nodded and said, "Raise your head, Ichigo Kurosaki. You will be excused."

Ichigo raised his head and stood up. He didn't smile, which wasn't unusual, and proceeded to his place on the side of the throne. Ginrei followed him with his grey eyes and noticed that there was a hint of tiredness in his personal servant's eyes. He looked back at the crowd

King Ginrei stood up. "I have an important announcement to make."

The doors opened and a young man with black hair and grey eyes walked in graciously. He stopped in front of the King and bowed. Ichigo already guessed what was going on.

"This is Byakuya Kuchiki, my grandson," Byakuya turned to face the assembly. "He turned 18 years old yesterday, and as per the laws of the kingdom, I officially declare him the heir to the throne of Seireitei Kingdom."

Everyone clapped their hands.

Ichigo caught Byakuya silently glaring at him, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. Ichigo grimaced. _What is his PROBLEM? Glaring at me at every chance he gets! As if that'd kill me or something! _Ichigo thought.

He saw Byakuya shift his gaze and bow down. When the clapping stopped, he said, "I'll do my best to protect this country and make it prosperous. Thank you." He lifted his head, turned around, ascended the staircase and proceeded to stand on the side of the throne opposite to Ichigo.

"I have a feeling I'm not going to live much longer," Ginrei spoke and pin-drop silence fell in the room. Everyone knew about the deteriorating health condition of the king and the news was expected. "As such, I want Byakuya to carefully observe how business takes place here so that he can undertake his duties at the maximum level when he claims the throne after me. Therefore, he will be attending this kind of gatherings and meetings much more from now on," he finished and sat down as the crowd applauded in agreement.

Ichigo glanced at Ginrei. His expression was the same, scary yet respectable. He doubted if this could be the person who ordered that Karakura be raided. Couldn't it be some kind of mistake? Then again, it was under his rule. The fact that Ginrei looked respectable didn't change the fact that the people of his hometown were in slavery. It didn't change the fact that his sisters were killed in slavery. Ichigo clenched his fists. His sisters… His mom… His dad… what right did he have to live and enjoy the pleasures of palace life? Then again, he had nowhere else to run off to.

Ichigo snapped from his thoughts when all of a sudden, King Ginrei turned to look at him and asked, "Are you feeling well, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo nodded and bowed slightly, trying his best to look normal although the dizziness was returning to him again. "Yes, Ginrei-Sama." Typical of Ichigo; addressing people with their given names no matter what their rank or class was.

"Nevermind. You are excused from the royal duties for today. Go to your room and rest. Besides, I have a mission for you tomorrow." Ginrei said the last sentence in a much lower voice, which took Ichigo by surprise for a second. A mission?

Ichigo spared a few seconds to study the expressionless faces of both Ginrei and Byakuya before bowing down and saying, "Please excuse me." He was tired after all. He descended the staircase slowly and walked out of the throne room, ignoring the awkward glances and mutters that came from the crowd.

"Are you sure about this, grandfather?" Byakuya asked, watching the lean figure of Kurosaki Ichigo exit the throne room.

"Certainly. There's simply no one better than him for the job," Ginrei replied.

* * *

Closing the door behind him, Ichigo sighed heavily. He was feeling a lot dizzier than earlier that morning. He clutched his head to stop the pain and it subsided after a while. He decided to take a stroll around the country area just to clear his mind of the clutter that gathered this morning. After all, that was the past. What use would sulking over his gloomy past in Karakura be of to his blank future in Seireitei?

Ichigo walked out into the palace gardens taking in the fresh air and the beauty of the view. There were flower plants everywhere and shady trees here and there. The ground was covered in a natural carpet of a wonderful green.***** The fountain in the middle of the garden made splashing sounds to a rhythm that soothed the boy's senses. Ichigo made his way to the gate which the guards willingly opened and he jumped into the nearest carriage, paying the driver a few pennies and signaling him to drop Ichigo near the countryside.

Seireitei was a big country. It was made up of 80 small villages, collectively called Rukongai by the locals, surrounding the capital city where the palace was. Ichigo had taken time off to explore most of the villages along with the capital city in the past 10 years. However, he had begun to develop a particular interest in a certain village called Inuzuri, the farthest from the capital city and the palace. He had heard people calling Renji and especially Rukia "Rukongai Trash" and according to them, it was because they were originally from that village, street rats to be exact, and Rukia was adopted into the Kuchiki family due to her resemblance to a woman Byakuya fell in love with. It was just what the people said.

As much as Ichigo wanted to know the truth from Rukia herself, Ichigo was dying to see the village himself. He partly believed what the people said, and he wanted to see for himself how it was like to live as a street rat. Stupid, one might say, but then again, Ichigo wasn't the exact definition of a normal person either. For instance, you could take his bright orange hair. Or maybe he just wanted to understand the Rukia under the noble yet graceful look she displayed. Who knows?

Since Inuzuri was quite far from the palace, the carriage ride was long. To Ichigo's pleasure, the driver pretty understood, riding through the areas of the city and the countryside which had a fresher atmosphere and great view. Ichigo felt his eyes drop as noon arrived; the heat of the sun and the fresh and light breeze soothing his senses and freeing him of his worries. Soon, he was fast asleep.

* * *

"Mr…Mr…We have arrived at Inuzuri. Mr…" the driver called softly and Ichigo's eyes fluttered open. "We have arrived at Inuzuri," the driver repeated and Ichigo shifted in the seat as he sat up. "Thank you," he said as he jumped out of the carriage and asked the driver to pick him up at sunset. It was late-afternoon, almost evening.

Ichigo sulked inwardly as he strolled on the dirty roads of the village. It was too quiet. He was expecting little thieves to run around with a snack in their arms and some random stall owner to chase after them to claim his/her rightful property; or so he thought. He caught a glimpse of people peeking through windows at the stranger who arrived at the village out of the blue. It was almost creepy. It wasn't unexpected though, judging by how bad-ass Ichigo looked.

Ichigo quickened his pace as his mind called him to do whatever business he had with the place and get out of there as soon as possible. He turned a corner and accidebtally bumped into an old man nearly knocking him over. Quick as lightning, Ichigo caught the basket of water right before it spilled over, and the old man stood himself up and held out his hands, bowing in gratitude.

"You're welcome," Ichigo handed over the basket and walked away.

"Boy," the old man called and Ichigo looked back.

"What? Need something, gramps?" he said casually.

"What could a royal person like you be doing here?" the old man asked, smiling warmly at Ichigo.

That was when it hit him. He was in his work clothes. No wonder why the villagers peeked at him with such suspicious and weird looks.

"Err… just visiting…?" It was more of a question than a statement.

"Boy, this isn't some place that you should be visiting," the old man said, expression getting serious.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, curiosity arising.

"This is the worst place among Rukongai, that's why. Inuzuri is where adults mind their own business – anything illegal, you name it – and children are spoilt. You should take your leave soon boy, before some random drunkard robs you out of the blue," he said, before walking away.

Ichigo looked at his wrist watch. It was going to be sunset soon. He decided to go back to the palace and made his way to the outskirts of the village which was a bit lively than he first arrived. A few people bumped into him but he ignored them completely (even though he got the urge to kick the daylights outta them) and continued on his way. The carriage was already there and Ichigo jumped into it. He slid into the seat and decided to take a cat nap during the journey in order to kill time.

* * *

They arrived at the palace after nightfall and Ichigo jumped out, thanking the driver. He made his way to his bedroom and was more than glad to see his dinner neatly placed on his bedside table. He freshened up and literally gulped down his dinner before approaching the balcony. It was a full moon night and thus, Ichigo could see the landscape quite well. The palace gardens were right below him, and beyond the walls of the palace were the faint lights of the capital city; the villages lay in the distance like shadows and beyond that was the border of the old Seireitei Kingdom, past which lay the territory of the old Karakura Kingdom which was now fallen.

_Slavery… Poverty… Just what are they like? _Ichigo thought. The residents of his hometown were in slavery. Family aside; his friends in Karakura are in slavery. His friends here in Seireitei were in poverty. He had been living in the best conditions except for the few days he was taken hostage ten years ago, during that incident. Ichigo was not happy. He was guilty instead. He failed to protect his sisters. He failed to defend his hometown. What's more, he was living in the premises of the enemy, obeying their orders and servicing them. He was a traitor.

Ichigo suddenly felt the world go round. It was slow at first and he clutched his head; but then he felt the world revolving around him vigorously and he knelt down in pain. "_Ichigo…"_ The pain caused by the vertigo subsided and disappeared. The boy's eyes were wide in shock. Who in the world was that?

* * *

***Just thought that was a good way to describe grass. :P And that Ichigo! Blaming himself for everything! Does he have any idea he was just five when it all happened? :P guess not!**

**I know, the beginning was a little off, but I wonder what you think about the rest… I think I did a pretty god job ne? :P Thanks everyone for putting up with me! Apologies for the trouble again and Keep reviewing! Mata ne? I think I'll be updating the next chapter within three or four days… ;) **

**Sneak-a-peek!**

"Go to… Karakura?" Ichigo exclaimed, his hands slightly shaking. His mouth hung open as memories flicked around him like a motion picture.

"Yes, and I suppose it was your ex-homeland?" Ginrei asked, raising an eyebrow.

_**TomoMee~**_


	3. 2 Mission

**Chapter 2**

**Mission**

* * *

"…_Ichigo…" A faint voice was heard._

_Ichigo rolled over and buried his face in the pillow._

"…_Ichigo…" The voice was getting closer._

_He was no longer lying down. Instead, he was standing, a little perplexed, surrounded by fog._

"_Ichigo…" He caught sight of a faint blue light emerging from the distance. "W-Who are you?" he asked._

"_Ichigo," this time the voice was clearer. It was female. "Who are you?" Ichigo got into a battle stance silently panicking when the blue light grew bigger as it got closer._

"_I am…"_

Ichigo sat up on the bed. A light breeze blew through the violet curtains of his bedroom's balcony as it filtered the warm rays of the sun. It was morning.

"A dream again…" Ichigo said sighing at the same time. He glanced at the wall clock and groaned. It was only seven. _Stupid weird dreams!_ He thought.

Ichigo lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. He stayed like that, eyes closed and hoping sleep would come back for about fifteen minutes. _THAT'S IT!_ He threw the covers aside and jumped up, stomping his feet hard on the floor as he went to the bathroom. He was obviously more annoyed than worried about the dream – at the moment at least.

He stood in the shower for a record time: an hour and a half. In addition, he took a cool bath in order to calm himself down and thus, was shivering a little when he came out. He concluded then and there that it was a bad day, although it was just the beginning. After getting dressed, he ran a quick hand through his orange tresses and headed out to the throne room.

You might think that Ichigo should be attending the King even outside the throne room. Believe me, even Ichigo questions that. Ginrei said to Ichigo – on the day he was given the job – that he wouldn't need Ichigo do that kind of work. Instead, Ichigo would be doing the typical work in the throne room: bringing the commoners problems to the notice of the king, reading letters sent by other kingdoms, offering little advices regarding some affairs etc. According to Ginrei, Ichigo is "special". _Yeah right, _Ichigo thinks, _I'm like, the everyday normal boy who's SO special that they need to raid Karakura – my homeland – kill my mother and my sisters, enslave my friends and townspeople and take me hostage! If they wanted me, they should've just taken me instead of involving others! Wait, _Ichigo's eyes widened in realization.

_If the reason behind the attack on Karakura is me, who am "special" according to him, then he IS the one who ordered it…_

Who was he kidding? Of course, he does feel like a traitor for working and living with his enemies in utmost luxury. But deep down, he feels lonely. He misses his Mom and the happiness the family shared. If Ginrei hadn't raided Karakura, he would be living there right now, his father most probably back from whatever business – a happily-ever-after kind of thing.

_Besides, why is he treating me so differently? If you, Ginrei, want something out of me, then you are very wrong. _Ichigo clenched his fists._ Mom died to protect this traitor. I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to be a traitor. Or else… I'm leaving. _Ichigo heaved out a sigh. That was when an idea formed in his head. _This mission…!_

* * *

As soon as Ichigo entered the throne room he felt a nostalgic aura around him. Most of the place was empty except for the minsters on either sides of the room, Renji, Rukia, Byakuya and Ginrei. Byakuya was seated beside Ginrei, being officially declared the heir. Rukia was beside Byakuya and looked somewhat disturbed and Renji was staying near the staircase to the elevated area where the king sat.

Ichigo felt like he saw this view before, minus all the people. Of course, he would see it every day, but the feeling was from long ago. He just didn't remember when.

Shrugging everything away, Ichigo walked towards where Renji was standing and bowed fully. He stayed like that for around ten minutes and raised his head when Ginrei permitted him. _I hate these formalities too!_ He inwardly groaned.

"You will leave today," Ginrei spoke up, "for your mission."

His heart skipped a beat from joy and shock. Joy because the first step in his plan was checked. Shock because he was expecting a little time to think about the mission and prepare. Somehow he felt that Ginrei was pushing him away from them as time passed. What is his intention? Because when he first came there, they were trying their best to remove his aloof cover and gain his trust.

Ichigo nodded after a while and Ginrei spoke again.

"Your mission is to go to Karakura Kingdom near the border of Seireitei."

Brain stopped all its functions and processed what the ear sent it. Karakura… Mission… Homeland… Mom…

_Go to… Karakura? _The output was a question in the form of a thought, but due to the shock, the words came out loud as his mind recollected everything.

"Go to… Karakura?" Ichigo exclaimed, his hands slightly shaking. His mouth hung open as memories flicked around him like a motion picture.

"Yes, and I suppose it was your ex-homeland?" Ginrei asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ichigo gripped his shaking hands tightly. He lowered his hands such that his bangs covered his eyes. _**EX**__-homeland? _Now that was something fishy.

Byakuya stood up, noticing the slight change in Ichigo's behavior. Rukia and Renji slightly tensed up but they didn't show it. "Ichigo Kurosaki, your mission is to go to Karakura and retrieve the Azure Stone," he explained.

Ginrei suddenly nodded at the ministers present and one of them, also being an Elder of Kuchiki Clan, approached them. He bowed lightly and turned to Ichigo. He was probably three or four years older than Ginrei himself.

"The Azure Stone," he began, "was rumored to have magical powers sealed in it. No one knows what kind of magic it has, or where exactly it is hidden, but we do have a clear idea that it is somewhere in Karakura, according to the most ancient books in our grand library," he finished.

This made Ichigo laugh a little, something Ichigo refrained from doing ever since he lost his Mom. It even earned confused glares from some of the ministers, the elder, Ginrei himself and of course, Byakuya. Rukia and Renji on the other hand, suppressed giggles.

"Books! What if the stone doesn't even exist?" Ichigo said through his laughs.

"Mind your manners, kid! We've lived longer than you and have seen much more than you have. This is also a chance for you to discover and learn something. Be grateful," he said, annoyance written all over his voice and he bowed again before going back to his place.

Ichigo was silenced. He wasn't even interested in this stupid stone. But he sure wanted to run away. Run away from being a traitor. "When do I leave?" his expression turned serious, determination shining in his voice.

A pleased expression spread on everyone's face although they didn't realize the real reason behind his determined voice. "Now; set out right away," Ginrei said.

Something told Ichigo that this was no funny business. These people were serious. He had a feeling that there was something related to the stone and the invasion of Karakura. Ginrei's voice was that much serious and it seemed impatient. He still needed more hints and clues, but this one piece of information that he felt from nowhere made him somehow detest the Seireitei Kingdom. Waving goodbye to Rukia and Renji, Ichigo turned on his heel and walked away; well wishes for the journey coming from here and there.

* * *

It was afternoon and almost evening when Ichigo reached the Rukongai villages. He had packed his things and took a carriage ride through the city for the last time. He decided to walk until he reached the border between Seireitei and Karakura: his way of taking the toll for living with enemies and working for them. It wasn't his choice partly, but he still took the blame to himself for not running away when he grew up enough to understand. Then again, it was just only a few days ago when he truly began pondering over these matters. He gave up crying and thinking since he was ten, after all.

The streets of the city were paved with bricks in contrast to the dusty streets of the villages. Ichigo took the routes that were on the outskirts of the villages, through the forests. He could see in the far distance beyond him that there was a desert ahead.

* * *

It was already nightfall when Ichigo reached the border dividing Seiretei and Karakura. He kicked some desert sand and let himself fall on the ground. The moon was shining in the middle of the sky. Stars twinkled like diamonds above him. Ichigo closed his eyes shut, reminiscing how he and his mother used to star gaze when he was little. They used to count the stars endlessly till they were tired, or find all sorts of patterns in the arrangement of the stars, sometimes hilarious and sometimes amazing. He smiled as he fell into a deep sleep immersed in that little world of sweet memories he wished never disappeared.

* * *

From the border of Seireitei to most of the outer territory of Karakura was a wasteland. The nightly winds were so cold and made the boy shift uncomfortably in his sleep, shivering. The tiredness from walking from morning till nightfall and the fact that he hadn't had a single meal that day made his stomach grumble audibly. His lips were dry from the lack of water and his head and neck hurt from the rock he laid his head on and the angle it was twisted in. However, none of those were comparable to the sweet dreams he was having. Shuddering and rolling over continuously on the sandy ground, he still smiled.

* * *

Ichigo fluttered his eyes open when he felt the warm rays of the sun hit his skin. A wind blew tickling his nose and he sneezed. He felt something warm on his lap and he sat up to see what it was, rubbing his eyes. From what he saw, he rubbed his eyes again. He wasn't dreaming but he was sure that he didn't bring a blanket with him when he packed. And he did that on purpose. Who would've given him one? _Maybe a rare passerby…_ he concluded.

Unintentionally he glanced to his left. Eyes wide open in shock; he reached out to the basket of fruits beside him. He brought a mouth-watering red apple to his nose and smelled. That was when he realized how hungry he was. Grabbing and munching them one by one he finished the whole basket within fifteen or twenty minutes. He didn't need much water because the apples he ate did it for him. He could survive. He stood up, grabbing his bag after putting the blanket inside it. Keeping the basket on top of the rock he slept on, he gave it his due respect, thanked whoever was the owner of the kindness and went on his way as he crossed the borders and entered the territory of Karakura.

* * *

Ichigo walked and walked from morning to evening without a single stop. He felt like resting once but he decided that he would do it afterwards. The heat was intense over the barren land and the energy he got this morning was almost completely drained. He inwardly thanked bunches to the fruit basket's owner. Had he or she, most probably he, not done so, Ichigo would be dead meat by now that would be fed on by desert vultures.

He almost fell down with the exhausted sigh he heaved. Up ahead, he saw a thin forest beyond which he caught glimpses of what he made out to be houses. It was finally a village! Ichigo fastened his pace. However after a short distance his knees felt weak, his eyes began dropping and the world turned pitch black.

* * *

"Ah! Mama! Onii-san's awake!" A child's voice rang in his ears.

Flapping his eyes open, Ichigo sat up and held his head as a sharp pain throbbed in his head. He looked around unfamiliarly and saw the little boy glancing up at him cheerfully. "Where am I?" he asked.

The boy beamed. "You're in the village of Genseki!"

"Genseki?" Ichigo processed. "In Karakura Kingdom? How long have I been asleep?"

"Yes! Although it has now fallen… But Mommy says that the prince of the Kingdom will save it someday! I can hardly wait! By the way, you've been asleep for around four hours!" Ichigo gave a good look at the boy. Spiky azure hair and sea blue eyes… It reminded Ichigo of the little him. He smiled a little for a second.

He ruffled the boy's hair. "Well, I need to go." He stood up and exited the door.

"Leaving already?" a motherly voice interrupted him. Ichigo looked back. A pretty middle-aged woman with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes smiled at him, putting down a hearty bowl of soup on the table, and arranging a few smaller bowls. "You need to have energy if you want to travel." She smiled and called her son for dinner.

Ichigo couldn't say no, for some reason. This tiny family reminded him of him and his mother somehow. Ichigo half-willingly and half-reluctantly sat on the bench as the boy's mother put some soup in his bowl. "How did I get here?" Ichigo said, half-thinking and half-asking.

"Hm?" The woman looked up. Then she sat sown putting soup in hers and the boy's bowls. "One of my neighbours found you fallen on the ground when he was out in the forest, hunting for food like he did daily," she sipped from her spoon, "and seeing a human in the distance lying down; it's only logical to think that one wouldn't be _resting_ in the middle of the day on that barren land. He carried you over and asked me to nurse you since his wife was not home. Where were you coming from?"

Ichigo choked hard on his sip of soup. He gulped some water to stabilize himself. He wondered. Should he say Seireitei? No, he was no longer a part of them. He ran away.

"I was coming home from some business I had to do in another country," he said.

The lady somehow understood, but giggled. "You didn't even consider transportation on your journey? How brave. Do you live in the capital city?" she asked, judging by his quite rich clothes which were now worn out.

"Yeah, but I've been away for a few years now, I've quite forgotten the way and all," Ichigo laughed nervously, putting his spoon down and drinking the remaining water. He felt his stomach at the peak of utility.

"By the way, something's bugging me, why is this place called 'Genseki'?" he asked a tint of curiosity in his voice.

"Oh it's just that this is the village most isolated from everywhere in this country, and also it's the biggest marketplace in this country after the capital city. The status has declined though, ever since the invasion."

"Oh," Ichigo lowered his head.

The lady laughed in a motherly way. "Just take this long road this house is on and you'll be out of the village. As soon as you are, pass through the thin woods and you will be able to see the main gate of the city in the near distance.

Ichigo looked up and nodded.

"But, take a rest for tonight, dear. You can leave tomorrow. My ten-year-old Inuri will accompany you till you exit the village, right?"

"Ymefsh!" The boy said, his mouth full.

* * *

Ichigo went back into his room and relaxed himself on his bed. _Tomorrow… tomorrow, I'll be free from all my worries… _the lad dozed off. Little did he anticipate the several shocks his mind would go through with each of the news he would learn when he went there.

* * *

"Onii-san! Let's go!" Ichigo heard Inuri call. He checked his belongings one more time before opening the door. "Let's go," he told Inuri to which the boy nodded.

Ichigo bade goodbye and thanked the mother for her hospitality before resuming on his journey to the capital city. He was walking a bit too fast for the boy to follow which made Inuri to run and catch up from time to time. However, Ichigo was too engulfed in another world to be aware. He wondered: how would be the conditions in Karakura? Would he hear the same nightmarish screams and the sound of whips and torturing that he heard years ago? How were his friends? Were they in slavery too? Or was the art of slavery gone to some extent and the people living in a little more peace like in Genseki? Ichigo anticipated for the last one, but doubted everything else.

"Onii-san, we're here!" Inuri beamed when they arrived at the end of the lengthy road. Ichigo was back to Earth. He turned around and smiled at Inuri. "Thankyou. Someday…" he said, now looking ahead determinedly, "Someday, this country will rise again… It may not be the prince," he didn't mean to be selfish, "but it may be a warrior who simply wanted to be rid of slavery and pain… who simply wanted to protect…" he ruffled Inuri's hair.

The boy beamed. "If you meet that hero, can you help me meet him? Can you promise, Onii-san?"

Ichigo smiled lightheartedly. "Yeah…"

They both gave each other thumbs up and Ichigo paced away.

* * *

"Stupid branches!" Ichigo muttered through gritted teeth as he struggled through some overgrown trees which blocked his way. Thicker branches would make his tall figure to duck and thin branches here and there pricked his skin once in a while. One of the branches nearly pricked his eye and he ducked only to be caught in a spider-absent spider web. He yelped as he finally got out, only to trip over and fall face first on the ground. He rubbed his face vigorously and swept the sand off his hands and his outfit before looking up ahead.

"Karakura," Ichigo muttered as he stood up, a nice breeze blowing his way. From where he stood, he saw the hometown he had been away from for ten years. Reminiscence of his childhood made the corners of his mouth tug upwards forming a smile which was neither sad, nor happy. It was bittersweet and overwhelming at the same time.

It looked like just a town for an outsider; but Ichigo knew that it had been a far mightier kingdom somewhere in the past until some people took it away from them. Ichigo lowered his head in thought as he walked closer to the capital city. He was anticipating a lot of things, happy, sad – so many things, it made his head throb.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" A faint, but painful scream was heard.

Ichigo froze on his step, realizing where the sound came from. He dashed as fast as he could toward the gate of the town, wiping the flood of sweat on his face from time to time.

The gates were unguarded, but the sight that welcomed him was too horrifying for Ichigo to notice that. It wasn't something that Ichigo anticipated, much less dreamed of. There was a brown haired, dark-skinned boy around his age being tortured by a merciless soldier. A Seireitei soldier. Soldiers in the capital city? That was all he needed to know.

Ichigo couldn't control himself. He dashed at the soldier and smashed his clenched fists into the soldier's stomach with all his might. The soldier coughed blood, dropping the spear in the process, and before Ichigo could move another muscle, a foot met the soldier's face knocking him out. Ichigo caught glimpse of spiky black hair before he backed away and calmed his breath.

"Stupid people!" The girl in karate uniform punched her foot into the soldier's chest. Ichigo looked at the brown-haired teen that was now gasping for air. He was cut and bleeding or bruised: either of those injuries was 'adorning' the teen's body.

"Here," Ichigo extended his hand. The teen blinked and caught it.

"Are you alright, Chad?" The girl asked the brown haired teen.

"I'm fine, Arisawa," the teen nodded.

Time stopped for Ichigo. The two teens before him were…

"Tatsuki…? Chad…? You guys…?" …his friends… they were being tortured… they were everything he doubted but not anticipated…

"Huh? Do I know you, carroty head?" the tomboy made a confused expression, eyes scanning over Ichigo's hair.

"It's me, Ichigo!" the said boy exclaimed.

Chad's eyes widened. Tatsuki's jaw dropped.

"You're Ichigo?" Tatsuki inquired, leaning her face inwards as if to check it was really him. "Other than the orange hair, the rest of has changed! Where have you been?"

Chad nodded. "I didn't even recognize you."

"It's a long story. You guys have changed too, well, not Tatsuki," he smirked a little, "But Chad, why didn't yo-?"

"It's a long story as well," Chad cut him off.

"Well then, let's go somewhere away from here to talk," Tasuki said, ignoring his previous comment. "You want to know a lot too, Ichigo."

"Yeah, I guess," Ichigo smiled wanly.

* * *

The three walked some more for about an hour, to Ichigo's agony. He was following them while simultaneously studying the situation in the city. He could see soldiers everywhere and most of the people were paying heed to their orders because there was no other choice – Ichigo judged by their expressions. He also saw one or two spoiled rich men who appeared to be negotiating with the soldiers. A particular brown headed man glanced at Ichigo who glared back suspiciously. A normal person would take his smile back as kind, but Ichigo didn't fail to notice the malice in it. He turned away and continued walking until they reached a shady overgrown tree on the outskirts of the city. It was quite quiet there and Ichigo felt relaxed and soothed when a cool breeze blew. Sitting down, Ichigo began, "Tatsuki…"

"What?" the black-haired girl asked, stuffing a piece of bread that came from nowhere into her mouth. She threw two halves to Ichigo and Chad. Ichigo caught it, but didn't bother to eat since he already ate that morning. He found it better to give it back since he had enough luxurious meals. Tatsuki and Chad must've understood since they didn't retort.

"What is the Azure Stone?" Ichigo asked, staring into blank space.

"The Azure Stone? Never heard of it," Tatsuki replied casually. "Don't you wanna know about us?" Ichigo glanced at her, a solemn look on his face. "For the past ten years, this town has been a living hell," she began straightforwardly, "Men were killed in slavery, women were raped, and children were forced to work. It was a nightmare. There isn't a day without cries and shrieks ringing in the neighborhood. People doubted the safety of their lives. The richest people except a few joined with the soldiers here, bargaining, plotting and some even wanting to mislead the people against their own Kingdom," Ichigo took note here, "I joined that little karate class, which I jumped out from to attack that soldier of a bitch, along with a few others who all wanted to save our Kingdom from all this tyranny. Most people have given up hope."

Tatsuki's voice saddened Ichigo, but also sparked curiosity to know more, especially when he turned around to look back at the city center. "Where's the king? And the palace?"

"The king?" Tatsuki repeated. "The palace is in ruins and the king… he's never been back, Mom says," she said.

Ichigo looked down. "Don't you hate me? I'm from this town and yet I'm living in the enemies' palace with all luxuries and everything–"

"Shut up, Ichigo," Tatsuki smiled at him, "It's not like you went there on your own."

Ichigo stared at her, dumbstruck. His facial expression softened as he said, "I wish everyone thought the same."

"They do," Chad said. "They all know that you are not at fault."

Ichigo looked at both of his childhood friends. His mouth formed a smile for a second but then his face turned into its usual frown. "Chad, why did you not stand up for yourself back then? That's not like you at all. You used to stand up for yourself and fight back when other kids insulted you while we used to play."

The said teen was taken aback for a moment but then decided to tell everything. "My grandfather came to take me back to my hometown when he heard about the condition here. I was really aggressive back then partly because of the invasion and all which left a huge scar in my heart, especially seeing that entire blood and pain people suffered. I took up fights with children of my age back there just to show that I was strong. But later on, those children complained to their parents and one day they all attacked me to settle their grudge against me. I was ready to retaliate, but then grandfather appeared before me. He protected me with his body. Then and there, I decided to never fight people, unless it was to protect someone extremely dear to me." Chad finished.

"What about you Ichigo?" Tatsuki asked curiously.

Ichigo lowered his head in thought. "It was the same every day. Wake up, court room, sleep. I was the King's personal servant, you know," he said, a feeling of hatred burning in his chest as he compared the life he and the friends beside him lived. _As different as day and night,_ Ichigo thought.

"Oh? I bet you got into something with the Princess right, Ichigo?" Tatsuki smirked.

"WHAT?! No way! She and I are just friends! Sheesh! Gimme a break!"

Tatsuki laughed a little while Ichigo slapped his face with his hand. As usual, Chad simply sat there. A few minutes passed with the three just sitting there appreciating the beauty of countryside. Ichigo never imagined that Karakura City was this close to the seaside. Well, closer than Seireitei atleast! Around two hours' distance by foot was a beautiful abandoned beach.

Tatsuki was the one to break the silence. She sighed and stood up. "Well, since you are here, you would definitely want to meet your sisters."

Ichigo's eyes widened and shock pumped through his veins. "Yuzu and Karin are alive?!"

* * *

**Genseki = Gemstone**

**Three or four days, yeah right! I took longer than that and I apologize too! There was so much going on so I took a break for around two days to get things in line before I started writing. :P Anyway, what do you think of my effort? Good? Bad? Better?**

**Yuiyuki****: Glad to know you found it interesting! Keep reading and you'll find out more! And thanks!**

**Hunterofcomedy****: I think I underestimated my potential or maybe became lazy. See the output when I tried! I'm so glad my re-write was successful! About the Inuzuri scene, it will come handy somewhere. *evil grin* Just wanted Ichigo to know the basics of that place. That's all I'll give for the time being. :P And I was in a hurry that day, so I kind of forgot to put the lines in between changing scenes. Thanks for the tip though! Also, I kind of copied the way you put flashbacks in your stories BECAUSE it was visually pleasing. (That's a compliment for you. :D) My mom always told me to learn from the people who knew better than me. ;) Lastly, I laughed my head off when you pointed out the dress thing. I was like, "Am I really THAT stupid?" Besides, I don't really know about all this royalty and stuff. Do you have any suggestions on how I can improvise that? By the way, thanks for your very constructive feedback. I always look back at those whenever I need a tip, especially when re-writing! :D**

**3 favs and 3 follows so far. Not bad! :D Thanks guys!**

**Any suggestions? Complaints? Or maybe some excited 'fhdjhkjbgjk's? :P You know, all of that can be left in a review!**

**Sneak-a-peek!**

"Ichi-nii, is that really you?" the girls walked up to him and glanced up with innocent eyes. A teardrop fell on the tip of Yuzu's nose. "Huh?" she gasped slightly.

"You are okay…" Ichigo spoke, tears helplessly pouring down his cheeks.

_**TomoMee~**_


	4. 3 Meeting

**Chapter 3**

**Meeting**

* * *

"_Yuzu and Karin are alive?!"_

For a few seconds Ichigo just stood there gaping, as if a statue had replaced him instead. The question hung in the tense air around them as Tatsuki and Chad stood up as well, not expecting the reaction. There were question marks all over their faces. For Ichigo, if there was anything that was unbelievable to him at that moment, it was the fact that his sisters were alive. His eyes were wide in shock, ready to pop out of its sockets. His mouth opened and closed, unable to get the million thoughts that were gathering inside his mind out to be spoken. A part of him was exploding in joy and dying to meet them but another part of him was unable to believe those words. How did they survive the Great Famine?

"Ichigo, don't tell me you thought they died in 'that' incident?" Tatsuki peered into his face observingly.

* * *

_The Great Famine: a famine that occurred in the land, where Karakura and Seireitei were, a few years ago. That was during the beginning years of the tyrannical rule of Ginrei over Karakura. The residents of Karakura were made to work vigorously – even women and children – for countering the widespread starvation in the land as a result of which, the people in Seireitei were hardly able to survive while the people of Karakura, especially the enslaved, died of starvation and heavy labour. Ichigo saw with his very eyes, the names of his sisters in the list of people reported dead during the drudgery. It was a priest's interpretation regarding the incident that reduced the tyranny Seireitei practiced over Karakura: "This is the pronounced punishment in the scriptures that would befall, should injustice be practiced to extreme extents in this land," or so he had said._

* * *

"Wha… What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

Tatsuki sighed. "You're partly right in your assumptions, Ichigo. We heard of the reports too, and I told my mom that I'd at least be responsible to bury their bodies if I didn't find them alive. But," she breathed deeply, glancing at the sky.

"But?" Ichigo felt impatient.

"But I didn't find them at all after searching for hours. I was on the verge of giving up when I spotted two silhouettes lying on the place where you see as an abandoned beach now," the three of them peered at the seeming outlines of waves that were splashing on the shore in the far distance. "I was surprised to see someone already nursing them. He was giving them water bit by bit so that their health wouldn't be damaged. According to him, the two were taking their last breaths when he saw them, but were miraculously getting better by the minute. I insisted on taking care of them but it seems like he knows something that we don't." Tatsuki began walking towards the direction of the beach and Chad and Ichigo followed closely behind.

"By 'him' you mean?" Ichigo inquired.

Tatsuki didn't reply. Instead, she continued, "He said that it was the safest for your sisters if he took care of them, and I didn't bother to question further since that man definitely knew something."

"Was 'he' Da-"

"Ah, Kurosaki-san, you finally dropped by!" Ichigo and the others turned around to see a middle-aged man, with a cane and wearing a hat with white and green stripes, grinning at them.

"Urahara-san!" Tatsuki beamed. "How are Yuzu and Karin?"

"Eh?" astonishment flowed through Ichigo's body.

"They're doing great!" the man beamed but then his expression turned serious.

"Do you want to see them, Kurosaki-san?"

Ichigo twitched a little. He was still unable to grasp what was going on. He didn't totally understand what Tatsuki said, and now, some stranger Hats and Clogs person who came from God-knew-where was asking him if he wanted to meet his sisters. Worse, Tatsuki seemed to know him as well.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Ichigo yelled. His brain was after all, overloaded with things to process. Pin-drop silence filled the atmosphere for a few minutes before the other three burst into chuckles.

"Save the explanation for later, shall we?" he said, "Let's gooo!" the strange man beamed and started walking. Tatsuki and Chad followed him and thus, Ichigo too followed them. "Hey, Tatsuki," he said.

"What?" Tatsuki replied turning her head to look at him.

"Who is that?" he asked.

"Oh him? He's the guy I was talking about just a while ago; the guy who saved your sisters," she explained. Ichigo left a heavy audible sigh as the overloaded input for his brain suddenly dissolved away. "He's one hell of a weird shopkeeper, you better keep away from him when it comes to business," Tatsuki added, a mixture of hilarity and annoyance in her voice, "He nearly sold me a poison once, when I asked for an ointment for broken joints."

"Broken joints?" Ichigo gaped.

"What? I'm a karate student, idiot," she said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"That's right," Ichigo said mentally slapping himself for being unable to grasp the oh-so-obvious fact. It also made him feel remorse for the fact that he had enjoyed the luxury of royal life whilst his friends have been training hard to the extent of almost killing themselves. His sisters had been starving to death with no one to protect them. He wasn't there for them. Instead, a total weirdo stranger had saved them. Ichigo clenched his fists and held the tears of regret from falling down.

* * *

"We're here!" The shopkeeper beamed as they reached the so called shop of his. It looked more like a traditional Japanese house except that it was situated on the abandoned beach they saw earlier. Ichigo found it quite odd, maybe because a _shop_ was in an _abandoned area_. _It's safe much though… _he decided. He supported his weight on the wooden stair-rod, panting hard while Tatsuki and Chad wiped sweat off their forehead.

Ichigo felt an urgent need to bath in very cold water for three hours. _THIS IS IT! NO MORE WALKING!_ He yelled in his head as the "weird shopkeeper" ascended the five stairs that led to the sliding door and swished it open. "Yuzu-chan, Karin-chan! We've got a guest!"

Footsteps were heard and two girls popped their heads from the living room.

"Urahara-san? Welcome home!" The twins beamed but stopped when they caught a glimpse of bright orange hair coming into view from behind the said man. "I-Ichi-nii?"

Ichigo was dumbfounded. He was just composing himself when the girls noticed him and he lost his composure again. Ten years had passed since he last saw those innocent faces and yet… They still remembered him… Right now, all he wanted to do was to grab his sisters and cry his heart out. He just couldn't bear it.

"Ichi-nii, is that really you?" the girls walked past Urahara and up to him and glanced up with innocent eyes. A teardrop fell on the tip of Yuzu's nose. "Huh?" she gasped slightly.

"You are okay…" Ichigo spoke, tears helplessly pouring down his cheeks. He kneeled down and caught his sisters in a tight embrace. "Yuzu… Karin… you are both okay… I'm so glad… I missed you so much… I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you… I'm really sorry…"

Yuzu and Karin both glanced at each other and smiled wide. "We missed you too, Ichi-nii! We're so glad you came!"

Ichigo felt better afterwards. He wiped his eyes and smiled at his sisters. "How have you been doing?" He asked.

"We've been doing great! How are you, Onii-chan?" they beamed.

Ichigo sighed, feeling glad to see his sisters at the peak of good health and cheer. His sisters were doing better than he expected and that was all he wanted. He felt all the regret fading away, just knowing that they were okay, and that they had no grudges against him.

"I'm fine too," Ichigo smiled warmly.

"Is Ichi-nii going to stay here forever now?" the twins asked in unison, hope shining in their innocent eyes.

"Y-yes…" Ichigo replied although he wasn't sure. He didn't want to leave. _But if that stupid mission took too long, stupid Seireitei might chase after me… _he thought.

"Well, I think Kurosaki-san needs a rest, after that long journey here. Shall we?" Urahara-san excused them.

"You think?!" Ichigo blurted out, which made everyone laugh again.

"Yeah… See you around, Ichigo!" Tatsuki waved to him descending down the stairs and walking away.

"Yes," Chad nodded following the tomboy.

"Yeah, catch you later guys!" Ichigo waved them back. He sighed, suddenly feeling free from all that worrisome chains that seemed to have bound him. "So where should I stay?" Ichigo asked.

"In that spare room!" Yuzu said pointing to an average sized room in the far corner of the house. "Take a rest first and then we can have dinner together!"

"Who's cooking?" Ichigo asked a bit surprised.

"Meee!" Yuzu spun around on a heel.

"Really? You guys have really grown!" Ichigo ruffled his sisters' hair.

"Well then, I'm gonna rest! See you at dinner time!" Ichigo took a few steps towards _his_ room, but changed his mind and sprinted toward the seaside instead. He decided to cool himself in the water before allowing himself to drown in sleep. He was totally worn-out.

* * *

"Ichigo…"

_Huh?_

"Ichigo…"

_Who?_ He rolled over in his sleep.

"Oi Ichigo! You idiot!" Ichigo jumped up on his bed, clutching his head in pain. "What the heck was that for Rukia!?" He paused for a while. Rukia? When did she come here? Wasn't that the weird dream again? Or Was he mixing dream and reality?

He looked around. Damn right he was; standing on the windowsill of his room was the midget he- Ichigo shook his head.

"Rukia! What the heck are you doing here!?"

Rukia let out a confident laugh. Realisation hit Ichigo just then.

"Wait, I should actually be questioning why you are here! You- Rukia! You're a princess! Oh my god, I forgot! What the heck are you doing here?!" Ichigo babbled. Minute by minute, the said lass's expression was wrinkling and she finally bumped her forehead into Ichigo and he fell down on the bed.

"Shut up fool! Or do you want everyone to know I'm here?! Remember? Seireitei soldiers never cease looking for suspicious people! Seriously!" She face palmed.

Ichigo stared at her for a while, still - confused - happy - mazed. Yes, that was the right word – he was stuck in a maze of questions, not knowing which one to ask. "What are you doing here anyway?" he ended up asking.

Rukia looked up. She jumped and landed in the middle of the room.

"And what's with that warrior-like outfit? You look like a man or rather, a terrorist," he teased as well.

Rukia stiffened. "What did you say?!"

Ichigo simply chuckled.

"Well, I just… wanted to come…" Rukia stuttered seeking for a believable reason. She miserably failed.

Ichigo sat up. "That's the reason? That's the dumbest reason I've ever heard!" he stifled a giggle.

"Hmph!" Rukia sulked. "I don't really know," she said.

"What? You're the PRINCESS for god's sake, Rukia! You cannot just escape from the palace just because you wanted to- wait, you ESCAPED?" Ichigo was now standing. Did something called sleep happen today?

Rukia innocently nodded. "WHY?" Ichigo's voice was being raised by the minute.

"I don't know, idiot! Stop yelling! Are you going to turn me deaf?!" Rukia covered her ears sarcastically.

Ichigo glared the words at her. Rukia understood, sighing.

"Fine! I will EXPLAIN. I don't know the exact reason, but I just felt like coming. I told Renji about it, and he was on my side. He helped me escape and made up a story with Nii-sama, like, I wanted to spend some time with some friends in the city and stuff. Nothing bad has happened so far," she smiled nervously. Tough attitude was not helping her at all when it came to things like this. Ichigo groaned face-palming.

"Besides, I couldn't let you uncover everything on your own. I'm curious myself. And you didn't even say a proper goodbye!" Rukia poked her tongue out. Ichigo saw this and smirked a little.

"You know perfectly well, why I didn't bother to say a proper goodbye. Besides curiosity killed the cat, you know," Ichigo continued teasingly, "and put that thing in or I'll make a better use of it."

Rukia blinked and looked at the tip of her tongue before blinking again and registering what Ichigo said. She threw the nearest thing she could grab, which was a book, towards Ichigo and yelled, "You pervert!"

Bull's eye!

Ichigo grabbed the book that hit his nose and yelled back. "Stop hitting me Rukia! My bones hurt!"

Rukia only laughed.

"And that's your disguise? I'm betting on everything in this world that the story of yours will not be good enough to trick _Byakuya _and _Ginrei_ of all the people in the Universe," he reasoned.

"So what? I said I'm curious, right?" Rukia was now sitting on the wooden floor tracing unknown figures on it, "Stop questioning already. You'd have to buy me a Chappy doll if your bet isn't correct," she poked her tongue again, but this time with caution.

Ichigo fell back on the bed as the sleep which disappeared nowhere dawned on him again. "Do whatever you want, just don't get me into any mess you make," he said lying down and pulling up the covers.

"Nobody asked you to," Rukia giggled at the victory when she heard Ichigo huff in reply.

* * *

Outside, Urahara Kisuke gasped as he recognized the sudden feminine voice coming from Ichigo's room. _Princess Rukia?! No wonder why the soldiers in the city are causing so much commotion!_

* * *

**I decided not to change much of the content in this chapter and instead work on extending the scenes. Eh… let's see… DID I MESS IT UP or what? *nervous smile* I also postponed Urahara's details and explanations to Ichigo to after chapter 4; shall we see what's going on in Seireitei instead since Rukia's here?**

**Thanks for the extra follow, ****IllustratingAuthoress****. And ****Hunterofcomedy****: I replied to your review in the PM! ;D**

**By the way, guys! I was thinking: what should Quincies' role be in this story? Rulers of Karakura in the past or some other separate Kingdom? Leave a review? :***

**Sneak-a-peek!**

"What have you got to say about this, Renji Abarai?" Byakuya Kuchiki commanded gesturing at the page on his work table. His expression was dead serious.

"I–I can explain…" Renji stuttered although he didn't even know where to start.

**Mata ne! ;)**

_**TomoMee~**_


End file.
